President Trump has been warned by the Republican National Committee (RNC) that their midterm chances could be hurt by him announcing a presidential election too soon.
Close to $2 million has been paid out by RNC to law firms representing Trump against individual lawsuits and government investigations since October 2021.
However, if Trump makes this one decision, the financial aid of the RNC will be taken away.
Because of this potentially hefty loss, the RNC is hopeful that Trump will be deterred from announcing his candidacy before then.
Here’s what RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel told The Associated Press in January 2021:
“The party has to stay neutral. I’m not telling anybody to run or not to run in 2024,” she said when asked whether she wanted to see Trump run again.
However, in August of that same year, McDaniel said in an interview with ‘WABC-AM’ in New York that “Republicans in America would absolutely say the president’s the most popular Republican and still leads the party.”
During a recent interview with New York Magazine, Trump hinted that he plans on running but is uncertain as to when he plans to announce his bid.
“I would say my big decision will be whether I go before or after. You understand what that means,” he explained.
“Midterms,” he continued. “Do I go before or after? That will be my big decision.”
More details of this report from Western Journal:
According to Federal Elections Commission financial disclosure records, the committee paid at least $1.73 million to three law firms representing Trump from October 2021 through June of this year, ABC News reported.
This includes funding for firms that have defended him in investigations into his family business in New York.
The report said these payments have raised concerns about whether the RNC is legitimately remaining neutral.
Republican donor and Canary LLC CEO Dan Eberhart said he doesn’t think there hasn’t been “any effort” to remain neutral. “This is a symbiotic relationship,” he said.
Craig Holman, a government affairs lobbyist at the progressive government-watchdog group Public Citizen, also criticized the arrangement.
“By paying Trump’s extensive legal bills, the RNC is indirectly helping finance the Trump campaign,” Holman said.
“And given the history of the RNC zealously defending Trump, other Republican candidates should expect that they are not just running against Trump, they are also running against the Republican Party,” he said.
In contrast, RNC spokeswoman Emma Vaughn has defended the payments.
“As a leader of our party, defending President Trump and his record of achievement is critical to the GOP,” she said in a statement in November.
“It is entirely appropriate for the RNC to continue assisting in fighting back against the Democrats’ never-ending witch hunt and attacks on him,” Vaughn said.
Sources: WesternJournal, ABC News, The Associated Press, WABC-AM, New York Magazine
